http://www.newsweek.com/lsd-psychedelic-drugs-depression-anxiety-975402

Psychedelic drugs are able to prompt brain cells in rats and flies to grow and better connect with one another. This finding further upholds the drugs’ potential use in treating a number of mental health conditions such as depression and addiction, according to a new study.

The study, published online Tuesday in Cell Reports, studied the effects of psychedelic drugs on animal brain cells both in test tubes and in live models. The specific drugs used in the study were from the amphetamine, tryptamine and ergoline drug classes, and included LSD. When the brain cells were exposed to these drugs, they induced changes in the cells. For example, the brain cells grew more dendritic spines and synapses. These structural changes are known as neural plasticity.